Re: My question isn't about the fault, its about how to find it.

On 16/09/2024 21:19, druck wrote:

On 14/09/2024 19:32, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

[   15.888471] brcmfmac: brcmf_cfg80211_set_power_mgmt: power save enabled

 You may find it is slightly more reliable with power saving disabled.
 

I have done this. I think it is more stable. It is more appropriate in a server anyway

To disable temporarily use:-
 sudo /sbin/iw dev wlan0 set power_save off
 To make persistent create a file called /etc/udev/rules.d/71-wifi_power_save_off.rules containing the line:-
 

I used nmcli I think...yes. I have recorded everything I have done on this implementation in case I have to do it again.
sudo nmcli c modify [SSID]  802-11-wireless.powersave 2
I had to do it for the other  SSID as well.
I made a decision - as with systemd,- that in NetworkManager was the 'supported' way to do stuff, I might as well [learn to]  use it.
I am less interested in learning the more recondite areas of the distro, than achieving a stable platform on which to build an application.

SUBSYSTEM=="net", ACTION=="add", DRIVERS=="brcmfmac", KERNEL=="wlan0", RUN="/sbin/iw dev wlan0 set power_save off"
 ---druck

I am not saying 'solved' BUT since using the bigger power supply, it hasn't *dropped* at all, however there are still the odd reconnects that occasionally  take too long...on one wifi point. Oddly I have two now configured and after retrying the first one a few times it decided to try the one literally inches away and has been solid on that one ever since.
And interesting discovery was that the configuration of a static address applies to one SSID only - a 'connection'  in Network Manager parlance - not to the *interface* wlan0..
Which is why I thought it had bricked when I changed wifi access points on the fly. The next time I did that I realised it was now back on DHCP...and was available on a different IP address...
Anyway the final conclusions seem to be :
1. The ZERO 2W is hungrier for electrons than the old ZERO W.
2. The symptoms of starvation are evident first in the WiFi hardware. The CPU and nearly everything else is fed from 3.3V, 1.8V and 1.3V downconverted supplies. No documentation showing what voltage was used by the WiFi chip exists that I could find.
3. On at least my model, whilst the name of the company may have changed, the old Broadcomm wifi chip and driver is still used.
4. Apart from having to use journalctl, it is unusually not possible to blame systemd for these issues.
5. Whilst a chinesium USB source *may* be able to deliver the quoted current, it is not necessarily  able to deliver it in a noise free or voltage-retaining fashion.
I never got round to putting a meter or a scope on the thing - it's a bit awkward especially with a 'hat' on.
Interestingly the Pi PICO W uses a chip that works down to 3V.
Now I have achieved stability, the unit will go to a different location to further development where it will naturally connect to the original POS wifi point.
But I now have a microwave with a burnt out magnetron to fix...
Sigh.
--
The lifetime of any political organisation is about three years before its been subverted by the people it tried to warn you about.
Anon.